President Erdogan is calculating he can ride out the upheaval caused by the arrest of his top rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

A Turkish court has formally arrested Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and kept him in jail pending his trial on corruption charges. View on euronews

People wave flags of Turkey atop a garbage truck during a rally called by the Republican People's Party (CHP) in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor Ekrem Imanoglu in Maltepe, on the outskirts of Istanbul on March 29, 2025 (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP)

Unlike X, which has suspended social media accounts at the request of the Turkish government, Meta says it has faced heavy fines in Turkey for refusing to do so.

Charged with 'corruption' and 'aiding a terror organization,' the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, seen as the main opposition figure against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, triggered nationwide protests.

Nearly 1,900 people have been arrested in ongoing protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The Turkish government has also continued its crackdown on the press amid the demonstrations.

Turkey has been facing one of its most politically volatile moments in over a decade since the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the most prominent rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, last week on multiple graft charges.

Turkish authorities have detained 343 people during overnight protests ... Ekrem Imamoglu, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday. Demonstrations took place in more than a dozen cities including ...

Massive protests continue in Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. But amid growing concerns for democracy, the cultural sector has struggled to speak out.More than a week since the arrest of popular Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu,